Signaling Pathways in Endometrial Cancer Cells

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Signaling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 4078

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: endometrial cancer; ovarian cancer; molecular-targeted therapy; cellular signaling; bone morphogenic proteins

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endometrial cancer (EC) develops from the uterine endometrial epithelium. Recent reports indicate that oncogenic mutations are already present in normal endometrium, suggesting that altered signaling pathways are involved in carcinogenesis. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is the most frequent activated signaling pathway in EC cells. This pathway governs cell proliferation, metabolism, and DNA damage repair. The RAS/MAPK pathway is also important for EC cell growth. However, inhibitors for both signaling pathways have not been successful in clinical trials. Historically, EC has been classified into two types according to hormone dependence. ER, PgR-positive, hormone-dependent ECs are sensitive to progesterone and aromatase inhibitors that partially block both the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAS/MAPK pathways. Recently, four molecular classifications have been proposed according to the TCGA project. POLE ultramutated and MSI subtypes are susceptible to immune checkpoint inhibitors. In contrast, the other two subtypes are resistant to immunotherapy. Interestingly, CDK4/6 and Wee1 inhibitors are effective for CN-L and CN-H subtypes, respectively. These findings indicate that modification of various signaling pathways may be useful in the treatment of EC.

Under this perspective, this Special Issue aims to describe the current advances in basic and translational research that focus on “Signaling Pathways in Endometrial Cancer Cells”.

Dr. Tomohiko Fukuda
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • endometrial cancer
  • cellular signaling
  • cell metabolism
  • DNA damage repair pathway
  • the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
  • the RAS/MAPK pathway
  • molecular classification

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

18 pages, 944 KiB  
Review
The Importance of Cancer Stem Cells and Their Pathways in Endometrial Cancer: A Narrative Review
by Laura Georgiana Caravia, Melinda Ildiko Mitranovici, Ioan Emilian Oala, Andreea Taisia Tiron, Anca Angela Simionescu, Alina Maria Borcan and Marius Craina
Cells 2025, 14(8), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14080594 - 14 Apr 2025
Viewed by 720
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is one of the most common malignancies seen in women in developed countries. While patients in the early stages of this cancer show better responses to surgery, adjuvant hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy, patients with recurrence show treatment resistance. Researchers have recently [...] Read more.
Endometrial cancer is one of the most common malignancies seen in women in developed countries. While patients in the early stages of this cancer show better responses to surgery, adjuvant hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy, patients with recurrence show treatment resistance. Researchers have recently focused on cancer stem cells (CSCs) in the treatment of gynecologic cancer in general but also specifically in endometrial cancer. CSCs have been investigated because of their resistance to conventional therapies, such as chemo- and radiotherapy, and their ability to induce the progression and recurrence of malignancy. The activation of alternative pathways, such as WNT, PI3K, NF-kB, or NOTCH, could be the basis of the acquisition of these abilities of CSCs. Their specific markers and signaling pathways could be treatment targets for CSCs. In this article, we discuss the importance of obtaining a better understanding of the molecular basis and pathways of CSCs in endometrial cancer and the role of CSCs, aiming to discover more specific therapeutic approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling Pathways in Endometrial Cancer Cells)
Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3144 KiB  
Review
Development of Antibody–Drug Conjugates for Malignancies of the Uterine Corpus: A Review
by Taro Yamanaka, Tadaaki Nishikawa and Hiroshi Yoshida
Cells 2025, 14(5), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14050333 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 2949
Abstract
Despite recent advances in cancer treatment, the prognosis for uterine malignancies (carcinoma and sarcoma) requires further improvement. Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a novel class of anti-cancer therapeutic agents, and multiple ADCs have been approved for other types of cancer. In 2024, [...] Read more.
Despite recent advances in cancer treatment, the prognosis for uterine malignancies (carcinoma and sarcoma) requires further improvement. Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a novel class of anti-cancer therapeutic agents, and multiple ADCs have been approved for other types of cancer. In 2024, trastuzumab deruxtecan received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for cancer types and became the first ADC approved for the treatment of uterine malignancies. Many ADCs are currently being investigated in uterine malignancies, and therefore, there is a need to gain a deeper understanding of ADCs. In this article, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the advancements in ADCs. The contents of this article include the structure and mechanism of action, an analysis of recent clinical trials, and expected future clinical questions. This article also focuses on uterine sarcoma, which is not often highlighted as a target for ADC treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling Pathways in Endometrial Cancer Cells)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop